Finally Free II: Dark side of the Moon
by Jade121
Summary: Before there was light, there was darkness. For the pack as a whole, that saying will have greater meaning then it should. X-over with Smallville
1. Fall out I

**Dark side of the Moon**

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><p><em><strong>Disclaimer<strong>__: Characters and settings are the property of __Stephanie Meyer__. No copyright infringement is intended. _

This is a continuation of: Finally Free... I would recommend reading that to understand this story. Possible x-over with Smallvile. _  
><em>

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><p><strong>~ I ~<strong>

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><p>"Charlie it's almost Seth's graduation! I still haven't heard anything from Leah; have you?" Sue inquired as she fidgeted with her hands. She watched her fiancé flitter around the tiny kitchen. Sue noted that Charlie wouldn't even look at her when she talked about her daughter. '<em>He refuses to talk about my kids, but we can talk about his daughter and her thing<em>.'

"Nothing, the same as the day before and the day before that," Charlie responded shortly. His shoulders tensed up, as he moved around his tiny kitchen. Moving just a bit quicker, he brushed past her.

"She promised Seth that she would be there," Sue stated as she clung to that hope. The hope that her daughter would come home was flittering away more each day. '_She promised him, she even if it was only in writing. Leah always kept her promises_.'

"We both know what her promises are worth," Charlie dismissed carelessly as he picked up his car keys.

"I want to file a missing persons report," Sue declared in a fit of anger as she watched Charlie prepare for his nightly visit to her daughter. Alone, he rarely wanted her to go with him. '_Charlie can't stand the tension between Bella and me. Let alone my unease around his so-call granddaughter._'

"Come on, Sue. You want to waste the tax payer's money looking for your run away daughter?" Charlie grumbled as he shook his head.

"And if it was Bella that was missing?" Sue demanded hotly finally annoyed with Charlie's behavior.

"I would have filed a report already," Charlie stated coldly as he glared at Sue. "But we're not talking about my daughter, we're talking about yours."

"I'm going to the station and I'm filing," Sue stated as she brushed past him.

"Is Emily not talking to you again?" Charlie huffed as he reached for his jacket.

"This has nothing to do with Emily," Sue snapped as she strode back into the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, she real good look at the man she planned to spend the rest of her life with. '_Why did you leave me, Harry?_'

"Please, you only get concerned about Leah when you're on the outs with Emily," Charlie declared as he put on his jacket. Unknowingly he echoed the same thing Harry had said days before he passed. "I'm going to see Bella. Go to the station if you want, but I'm telling you. If Leah wanted to be found, she would have called or showed up." With that Charlie stalked out the door, slamming it as he left.

With a shaking hand, Sue reached for the phone. It rang several times before her son picked up. '_I should have filed sooner, but I was hoping that she would call_.'

"Seth, come get me," Sue whispered into the receiver. She clutched her hand around the receiver and held her breath. '_Please don't abandon me. I need you now_.'

"Mom?" Seth questioned softly as he champed on some food.

"I need to go to the police station and file a missing persons report on your sister," Sue said shakily. '_My baby, my precious baby has forgot the sound of my voice. How could I have stayed away for so long?_' Tears leaked out of her eyes as she tried to control her emotions.

"Don't go anywhere! Don't let anyone talk you out of this. I'll be there as soon as I can," Seth rapidly agreed.

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><p><strong>~ II ~<strong>

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><p>A sleek black sedan rolled up in front of the Black residence. Its very presence was ominous. After a heartbeat or two, the driver's side door opens. Emerging from the vehicle was a well build bulky military like man. The stylish business suit and avatar sunglasses, presented a cold front. In his meaty hands he gripped a folder.<p>

"Susan Clearwater?" he grunted coolly with a sneer on his face.

"What's this about?" Billy questioned, every instinct yelling at him to be careful. '_Oh great sprits, if this has anything to do with Leah. It will be the first time I would be grateful for Jake imprinting on the half breed._'

"Susan Clearwater," the man demanded coldly.

"That's me," Sue snapped feeling uneasy with the stranger. She was momentarily relieved when Billy reached for her hand. Giving his hand a squeeze she painted a tight smile on her face.

"Let's take this inside," the strange commanded as he gestured to the house. "Where we can speak, alone."

"Anything you want to say to my wife, you can say in front of me," Billy informed the stranger, coolly. Purposely, he moved his wheelchair closer to Sue. He observed that the cold man wasn't please with this development.

"Inside," he ordered coldly.

Turning his wheel chair, Billy easily gestured for Sue to enter his residence. He breathed just a bit easier when she played along with him. As he rolled inside, he quickly turned so that he could keep his eyes on the stranger.

"What's this about?" Sue demanded upon taking a seat close to Billy.

"You filed a missing report on a Leah Clearwater," he grunted as he tossed the file at her. "I'm here to inform you, that she is dead." The man smirked down at the couple before twisting his head around to inspect the room.

"What?" Billy gasped as he eyes widened. "How?" he stuttered as he tried to process what was happening.

"How long has she been missing?" the stranger demanded instead.

"You can start by answering our questions!" Billy shouted angrily. He thumped his hand against his wheelchair. "Tell me how Leah, my daughter died!" He heard the telling noise of Seth's wolf wine and prayed silently that he wouldn't come in the house. Sue exploded into sobs as she clutched the folder to her chest.

"It is in the folder, you will find that our records are complete," the stranger dismissed as he snorted at the couple in front of him. "Have a good day." He turned and proceeded out the door.

"Don't just walk away! Where's her body?" Billy demanded as he wheeled himself after the departing man. "Come back here!"

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><p><strong>~ III ~<strong>

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><p>"He's lying," Edward hissed from the shadows of the house, his freezing cold hand covered Seth's mouth. Hearing the boy whimper, Edward stated bluntly. "He's also extremely dangerous. Leah is alive, but not for long."<p>

"Seth, keep silent," Jake ordered softly using the Alpha command as he too started to shake. "Edward?"

"How dangerous is he? Where is Leah?" Sam demanded softly as he stealthily as he moved further out of the house. Ever since Leah left the reservation, he felt dead inside. Most his pack were aware that something was wrong with their Alpha, but only Jared his trusted Beta knew that since his imprinting Sam was slowly dying inside.

"Oh god, he saw my daughter grow," Edward inhaled sharply, his golden eyes widened in fear. "He's reporting it! We need to leave, they're coming!" Quickly Edward let go of Seth as he prepared to race to his daughter.

"Who's coming?" Jake demanded as a chill raced up his spin. "Talk leech!"

"Tell me about Leah!" Sam growled his wolf raising to the surface he quickly slammed Edward into the side of the house, preventing him from leaving. "Leah," Sam's voice rumbled dangerously.

"She's good as dead," Edward whispered as he clawed at Sam's hand. "She's to be executed tonight; they want to use her as an example to the others."

"Others?" Billy demanded snapping the boys out of their pissing contest. "What others?"

"I need to leave! They're coming for Renesmee. I need to leave!" Edward shouted as he pushed at Sam's thick wrist. "I have to save my child!"

"We will help save her in exchange for help with Leah," Sam offered rather generously since it was well known that he hated the leeches. "Tell us who is coming?"

"There is no helping Leah! Even if you were to extract her from their laboratory, she would be dead within hours! She was a liability. The pack has moved on!" Edward hissed as he barred his teeth.

"We protect our own and never leave any one behind!" Billy snapped angrily.

"Oh please, you obliterated Leah's self worth," Edward laughed coldly as a devilish smirk graced his stone face. "Or did you think I didn't know that Jake and Sam over here, ordered her to be Emily's maid of honor? You didn't give a damn when she was here; now that she's dying you care? Spare me your excuses… and you say that we're the cold ones."

"Go save your daughter," Sam snapped as he reluctantly let Edward go. He watched as the leech raced away. "Jake it's your call, she's your imprint," Sam stated hollowly as all feeling left his body. '_I'm a walking corpse. Leah...please, fight and come back. I need you._'

"Where's this laboratory?" Jacob demanded as soon as he caught up with Edward. He watched the stoic man pick up his child. It took Jacob a second to realize that he didn't feel anything towards the half-vampire. '_What the hell? I should feel something for her, shouldn't I?_'

"The government laboratory is a mountain base, located in the Montana Mountains. From what I could see in his mind, the place is huge. It would take you years to break into it and even longer to locate someone inside," Edward sneered as he cradled his child to him. "You're so damn stupid Jake. You were there at her birth. If the imprint was real you would have felt the pull then. I have to admit, Bella's idea was ingenious."

"Good luck, you're on your own," Jake growled loudly as he backed away from the pair. Racing away, Jake shook his head, trying vainly to clear it. As he rushed into the forest, he phased within seconds. Throwing his head back, he let lose a tortured howl.

'_Jake, what happened? Is it Leah?_' Seth's voice entered his head. Several other voices echoed the same sentiment.

'_Dude I heard that the vamps are under attack! What the hell is going on? Are we going to help them?_' Embry questioned as he raced towards Jake.

'_I'm not helping them_,' Paul stated coldly as his voice joined the group mentality. '_What's the word on Leah_?'

'_Be silent_!' Jake alpha commanded everyone who had phased. '_Round up all pack members. Paul, Jarod and Quil take everyone to the sacred lands! Move people! We're under attack_!'

'_You got it_,' Quil replied calmly.

'_What about the Cullen's?_' Brady asked softly.

'_What about Leah_?' Seth dared to ask.

'_Sam, you're with me. We're going to see if we can extract some information about her from the meat suit. Seth, Collin and Brady follow behind them and make sure that none of the cubs are lost_,' Jake ordered as he snarled at Sam.

'_Why_?' Jared wondered with dread.

'_Because like damn fools, we allowed ourselves to be branded! The second we phase out of wolf form the mark on our arms will single us out! The government didn't know where to find us, until Sue filed a missing person's report_,' Jake hissed as his anger and frustration gave him more power. '_We don't know what the government knows about us and I'm not taking any chances!_'

'_What about our families?_' Collin inquired.

'_I want all cubs to phase into wolf form, hauling ass to the sacred lands! NOW!_' Jacob roared out his Alpha command forcing everyone to swiftly depart.

'_Our families will be fine. Jake and I handle the government man and help the Cullen's_,' Sam coldly stated as images of the man's throat being ripped out flashed down the mental link. '_Do nothing that would jeopardize the safety that Leah has bought you with her life_.'

'_Stay safe, howl if you need us_,' Jarod commented as he forced several cubs to move faster.

'_Bite him extra hard for me!_' Seth sobbed as his voice moved further away.

'_If we survive this, we're going to have a long overdue talk_,' Jacob snarled at Sam, Jacob forced himself not to attack him. His ears twitched as the sounds of machine gun firing along with loud popping noises.

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><p><strong>Please Review<strong>


	2. Harsh Words II

**Dark side of the Moon**

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><p><strong>~ II ~<strong>

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><p>'<em>They're at it again<em>,' Seth thought as he listened to yet another shouting match between Jake and Sam. Running a tired hand over his face, he couldn't seem to find the strength to intervene. Taking a deep breath, Seth slowly blew it out. '_I give it ten more seconds before Emily starts sobbing hysterically_.'

"Man, this sucks," Embry whispered softly as he took a seat next to Seth. "What are they fighting about now?"

"Who cares?" Seth answered as dragged his tired body off the wooden log. Staggering just a bit as he stood up, he blinked his bleary eyes at everyone before walking away. Trudging away from everyone, he slowly head towards the woods. '_Stupid Alpha's and their controlling ways, when they said that power corrupts they meant it. Stupid imprints needing constant reassurance that they are the true love of their imprinter's life. And stupid little me, I should have had your back. Damn, Leah. I'm sorry. You're my sister, my family… not them. Never them!_'

"Seth, take someone with you. You don't want to get lost," Emily ordered slightly. A soft smile graced her face, usually taking the sting out of her words.

"I'm a wolf, I don't get lost. Unlike an outsider like you," Seth lowly growled at her. He watches as her face paled a skittish look leaped into her eyes.

"Leave Emily alone," Sam stated as he turned away from his fight with Jake.

"Why don't you Alpha command me? Like you did Leah and every cub here! Be nice to her and be her friend," Seth bluntly stated. Sharp tension riddled throughout the pack.

"Seth, you don't mean that," Emily weakly countered as she looked at Sam pleadingly. "Sam wouldn't do something like that…."

"Are you really this damn stupid? My sister hated you! But she _had_ to be your friend, just like all the cubs. Leah would _never_ have been at your farce of a wedding if she wasn't Alpha commanded to be there!" Seth shouted angrily at Emily as he glared at Sam and then Jake. Silently, Seth dared them to say anything. Taking a deep breath he could smell her tears. "You destroyed her life, and you flaunted it. Pathetic little Emily Young was finally better than Leah in some mystical way. The truth is you're still pathetic. Sam doesn't love you, he never has."

"Seth, that's enough," Jake Alpha commanded. He flinched when he realized that he just gave Seth's character assignation credibility. Even Sam closed his eyes adding more credibility to Seth's claim.

Swallowing hard, Seth grimly smiled down at Emily. He heard her gasped as more tears started to form in her eyes. Sneering at her, Seth headed deeper into the scared woods, further away from his so-called brothers.

"That wasn't very nice, Seth," Quil commented as Seth past him.

"Neither is this pack of hyenas. When the real wolves show up, let me know," Seth coldly stated, knowing that his voice could be heard by the entire pack.

"She had no choice," Quil argued.

"The imprinter is what the imprintee needs! She needed Sam to love her desperately because she knew that no one else was _ever_ going to," Seth shouted enraged, he shoved Quil up against a tree. "She's nothing more than a rapist! Sam didn't know her or love her, he loved Leah! He still loves Leah. But did that stop her? Huh? Did it? Did it stop her from ripping out her _best_ _friend's heart_? With people like her in Leah's life, she didn't need any enemies."

Growling at his friend, Seth forced himself to step back. With his enhance hearing; he could hear Emily crying harder, along with Rachel and Kim. '_It's about time they heard the truth, not just what they wanted to hear._' With graceful steps, Seth moved deeper into the woods. He walked until his feet ached. Taking a deep breath, he noticed that the air was cleaner here. Blinking, he finally looked around him.

'_Where the hell am I?_' Taking in the landscape, several things seemed to be out of place. Finding a place to sit, Seth slowly sat down. Sighing heavily, he wondered if one of his pack members informed his mother of his outburst. '_Great, maybe I'll just stay here._' Closing his tired eyes, he decided that he would head back after a nap.

"So this is where you disappeared too?" Embry inquired as he shook Seth awake.

"Yeah, let me guess the _Alpha's_ want to see me pronto," Seth groaned lowly.

"Ah, no! Well, I don't know. I followed you when you left but lost track of you about two miles back. Took the liberty of covering both of our tracks, I just caught up to you," Embry commented as he looked around. "I stayed out of wolf form, so I have no idea what's going on at _camp_."

"Thanks, Embry. Have you ever been here before?" Seth asked as he slowly relaxed.

"No man. It doesn't look natural, I think you stumbled upon an old settlement," Embry stated as he really looked around him.

"Really?" Seth inquired as he too started to notice that something didn't feel right. "I'm not sure about an old settlement, but it doesn't feel natural." Getting up, Seth narrowed his eyes as he approached what looked like a cluster of rocks. Using his inhuman strength he pulled away several hundred years worth of over grown vines.

"That's a Quileute symbol!" Embry gasped as he added his strength to Seth's in removing the vines. Together both boys cleared the stone. "It looks familiar but I don't recognize it."

"I don't either. Look around, maybe there is more," Seth eagerly enticed as he started to scout around.

Embry took a second to take a deep breath before looking around him. '_This is the first time I've seen Seth look remotely alive since the vampire massacre. Where ever you are Leah, for whatever it's worth, I'm sorry_.' Moving a few feet away, he noticed another stone. "Seth, look for rocks or large stones. I think I just found another one."

"I did too," Seth laughed as he pulled at the long weeds. "More symbols, but I think I recognize this one."

"Really? What does it say?" Embry probed as he made short work of the half dead tree hiding another symbol.

"Great change, no wait that's wrong, time of change?" Seth stated hesitantly. Squatting down, he ran his hand over the symbol. "I can make out time, but that's about it."

"Could this be where our forefathers hid the knowledge about us being protectors?" Embry thought out loud as he inspected the symbol in front of him. "I think this one says 'judgment' but that's all I can make out."

"Great," Seth mumbled defeated as he stood up. "That just means we need to bring Old Quil or Billy here to decipher them. Once we do that everyone will be here."

"Not really. We just need to make charcoal prints of the symbols. Have the old coots tell us their meanings. If we can keep our thoughts of this place to ourselves in wolf form, we will be the only ones to know," Embry offered hopefully. Looking one of his best friends, Embry could literally see Seth dyeing inside. '_I refuse to stand by and watch as another Clearwater dies from the inside out, not on my watch.'_

"This belongs to everybody," Seth answered flatly. His shoulders slumped as he let out a breath.

"Yes, it does. Let them find it, until then it can be a place of refuge for us. Think about it. They're not going to really care that you found a Quileute symbol carved into a rock. They might even Alpha command you not to come back here," Embry added. "I'm not telling them."

"We're going to need to bring some of our stuff out here, if we're planning on spending any time here," Seth responded softly. Inspecting the land, he nodded towards the mountains. "I'm sure there are caves near here, somewhere we can stash our things."

"I'll say," Embry laughed, glad that Seth silently agreed with him. "Let's look around some more!"

"Yeah," Seth exuberant yell informed Embry that he did the right thing. Together they worked for another hour, before the dying light from the sun stopped them. Surveying their handiwork, both boys looked at each other before bumping fists.

"Now that we have a better view, it kind of looks more like a place where important ceremonies took place," Seth grandly stated.

"Kind of, we're going to need to bring gardening tools," Embry huffed as he looked at his hands. "Thank the elders for our rapid healing or my hands would be bundled up for sure." Swallowing hard, Embry sniffed the air.

"Tell me, you smell this?" Seth in a broken voice inquired as his nose twitched.

"Perfume, not just any perfume, but _her_ perfume, I think she's still watching out over you," Embry whispered as his voice wavered. Rapidly blinking his eyes, as moister started to fill them.

"She hasn't worn that since she first phased," Seth whispered softly. "Do you think she's happier now?"

"About as happy as she could be while missing you," Embry tried to console as he too struggled with his emotions. "Let's be honest, in the end. She hated all of us, but you. You, she adored."

"I didn't stand up for her, I should have," Seth condemned himself.

"Nothing would have changed. Both Sam and Jake would have Alpha commanded you, right along with her," Embry reasoned out. "Sam was determined that nothing would ruin that day for Emily and Jake just went along with it."

"But at least she would have known that I was in her corner," Seth sobbed out as he struggled to contain his emotions. "She would have known!"

"She did know! She was planning to come back, your graduation! You're the only one that got a letter for her. She knew," Embry tried again to console Seth. "You she forgave; the rest of us, not so much. Come on, let's head back before they send a search party."

"Race you," Seth said as he took one last sniff of the air.

"You're on!" Embry agreed. "On three.. one.. two.. three!" Both boys phased running at full speed. Rushing away as the sun slowly sank.

.

When the moon was in its zenith, the Quileute symbol's glowed eerily in the moonlight as a dead voice whispered a warning in the night.

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><p><strong>Please Review!<strong>


	3. BreakOut III

**~ III ~**

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><p>"Quite people!" Leah hissed softly as her eyes scanned the battered hallway. Slowly she took another ragged breath as she forced herself not to panic. "See that access panel over there, that's where we are going."<p>

"Where does it lead?" a young female voice inquired softly.

"It leads to the river below and the river leads to the outside," a male voice answered. "Lee's had this planned for a while now."

"I can't swim!" a panicked voice announced quietly.

"Greenling, you're with me and I can swim. Ethan, you have Watchtower. Phoenix, Bora stay together. Mic and Mage, you're first," Leah ordered as she pushed the pair of teens forward. "Eyes on the prize, people! Move!"

Within seconds Leah watched the pair pry open the access panel and climb in. Nodding her head at their signal, she sniffed the air. '_We don't have long before the guards come around that corner_.' Thinking, Leah looked at Bora then to her twin, Phoenix. "How's the juice?"

"Out," Bora breathed out in defeat.

"Me too," she whispered as her eyes lowered to the floor.

"Good, we don't need any accidents with the ladder," Leah covered as she nodded her head towards the way out. "You're next, move!" Swallowing hard, Leah shared a glance with Ethan and then down to Greenling.

"I'll take Greenling down the ladder with me, meet us at the river," Ethan stated at he picked up her silent ques. With inhuman speed, he picked up the green haired little girl and wrapped an arm around Watchtower. "See you down the drain."

"Go!" Leah ordered as the smell of the guards fastly approached. Channeling her rage, she brought her wolf to the surface, close enough to get all the benefits yet far enough away to prevent a full transformation. Keeping in mind that the guards took rounds in groups of three of more, Leah waited until she saw them pass her. With a soft snarl she attacked.

The screams of the dead guards, echoed in both the hallway and in Leah's head. With bloody hands, she shut the access panel as she blinked tears out of her eyes. '_They deserved it. They were the monsters, not me_.' Choking on her despair, she quickly made her way down the ladder. The sounds of the gushing river did little to sooth her fragile spirit.

"Lee, you alright?" Ethan inquired softly.

"Yeah, let's get out of here," Leah dismissed as Greenling was placed on her back. "Stick together, Mage can you make a rope or something? It doesn't need to be strong; we just need to know where everyone is."

"Sure," Mage agreed as she eyes turned golden. A wisp of a thin silver rope emanated from her hands slow encompassing the group. "It's not really strong."

"It's perfect," Ethan reassured her. Picking up Watchtower, he lowered them gently into the river.

"Greenling and I will go last. Mic, Mage Bora, Phoenix try to stay between Ethan and me," Leah organized as everyone slowly lowered themselves into the freezing river. Securing the little girl's feet, Leah felt Greenling clutch the material on her shoulders. "Take a second, get your bearings and let's get out of here."

"I can't wait to breath real air. Fresh air," Bora whispered to her twin.

"The sun's warmth, that's what I'm looking forward too," Phoenix replied softly.

"Quite now, we're not out of the woods just yet," Ethan stated as he cradled Watchtower to him. Smiling at them, he could resist adding, "I can't wait for real food. Watch it up ahead, we have rapids. Stay sharp people."

The white rapids, felt good against Leah's hot skin. '_Oh, great water spirit, wash away my sins; guide me away from here._' Blinking against the water, she kept track of her small pack. Seeing Ethan glance back her way, she nodded her head in the negative. '_This river runs all the way down to the next state, but it's too cold to stay in the water for that long_.'

"It's cold," Watchtower complained as her teeth chattered as she grudgingly became aware of her surroundings. A shaky hand touched her black and blue face.

"Move closer together," Phoenix ordered. Following her ordered the group got within arm's length. "I'm not at full power but I can warm up the water." It took a few minutes for the water to feel marginally warmer.

"I can move it with us," Mage added as she added her magic. "It's not much."

"It's more than we had a few minutes ago," Ethan replied as he smiled for the first time since the break. "You girls rock!" Slowly the group rode the water for a few more miles before drudging their way out.

"Now what?" Bora asked as she looked around. Her teeth chattering from the cold.

"We can't go home. We don't blend into society. So where the hell are we going to go?" Mic commented worried.

"We need some place where there are not a lot of people. Safe enough to hide us and allow us some freedom," Ethan added as he held up Watchtower. "I suggest we figure it out and fast." He took a deep breath, and let out a broken laugh. "Where the hell are we going to go?"

"I know of a place, which is untouched by man. My people call it the Scared Lands. There are no people, no technology and you would have to literally live off the land," Leah responded slowly as pain flashed within her eyes. Swallowing deeply, she looked away from the group. "The group will be safe there."

"Yeah, we'll be safe, what about you?" Mic probed gently. "You didn't leave a good situation. You were running just like the rest of us."

"Oh, did I run. Once I'm home, freedom is no longer an option to me," Leah responded as she snickered out a broken laugh. She wrapped her arms around her painfully thin body.

"Let's worry about that once we get there," Watchtower stated as she stood up. "We need to get moving, unless we would like to go back."

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><p><strong>~ I ~<strong>

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><p>.<p>

"We're about an hour outside of Folks. Damn, it's raining again," Mic complained as he slowed down the stolen truck. The car was warm even with the windows rolled all the way down. "How's everybody doing?"

"Phoenix, Mage, Greenling and Bora are sleeping. Watchtower is comforting Leah, she's withdrawing the closer we get to her home town," Ethan answered as he looked back at the girls. Shaking his head, he breathed in the fresh air. "Watch out for the Town Sheriff, if he runs the VIN on this truck we're screwed."

"Not according to Leah, the man's an idiot," Mic snickered right before he sighed. "What do you think of Mage's plan?"

"She doesn't have that amount of power. Her magic only goes so far," Ethan tossed out wearily. "And if she did, what amount of damage would that cause her?"

"Greenling can transfer some of her power to Mage," Mic stated as he glanced in the rearview mirror.

"Greenling is a five year old kid, who's growing in power now that she's around plants. But even she won't have enough juice to transfer that much power," Ethan explained. "How much power do you think Mage is going to need to pull off that plan?"

"What plan?" Watchtower inquired softly. "Leah is finally asleep, so talk but talk softly."

"Mage's plan is to move time about twenty years," Mic stated quickly while keeping his eyes on the road. "If we were to go back in time, Leah could be free of the people of this time but still be home."

"Mage has stated that she doesn't have enough power to do it. Greenling, said that she could transfer some of her power over to Mage but I don't think it would be enough," Ethan added as he ran a hand down his face. "It doesn't seem fair that we get to be free while Leah's back in her personal hell."

"I agree. Slowly down, look at the town!" Watchtower instructed in shock, her mouth fell open. "It looks deserted." Burnt out shells of homes and cars lined the street. "Where are all the people?"

"Look!" Ethan whispered horrified as he pointed out a turned over military truck. "They were here. Those bastards were here!"

"Yeah, but it looks like they lost," Mic observed with awe. Slowing the truck down to a snails crawl, they observed the heavily damaged town.

"But at what cost? This place looks like a war zone," Watchtower wondered. "Ethan use your abilities. Are they still here?"

Tension mounted within the vehicle as Ethan concentrated on his surroundings. Breathing heavily, he shook his head in the negative. "No, I'm not picking up on any of them. But I'm not picking up on anyone else either."

"Geeze, Leah's little brother lives around here," Mic whispered horrified.

"If he's anything like Leah, I'd pity the military. He's probably hiding out within the Scared Lands," Ethan stated with certainty. "But still, let's not tell Leah."

"Yeah, I agree," Watchtower whispered.

"Look there's a corner store. Let's stock up on supplies while we can," Mic suggested as he pointed to the store just up the ways. "We need going to need starting supplies if we're going to live off the land."

"It's a good idea," Ethan concurred as he glanced at Watchtower.

"We do need supplies, it's already fall. Even with Greenlings gift the earth can only do so much," Watchtower agreed. "Mic grab food, I'll get the medical supplies. Ethan, guard everyone else."

"Go quickly now," Ethan informed the duo as he slid over into the driver's as Mic jumped out. Keeping his eyes peeled, he wasn't too surprised when Mic dashed out of the store only to drop off his bag to go back for more bags. Glimpsing medical supplies in one bag, he shook his head. Swallowing down his apprehension, he breathed just a bit easier when both Mic and Watchtower dashed out of the store.

"We got everything we could get our hands on," Watchtower gasped tired from running. Taking his foot off of the gas, the tuck slowly moved forward. "I even got Leah's old perfume."

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><p><strong>~ II ~<strong>

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><p>.<p>

"Phoenix, can you light the wood for me?" Ethan asked as he got his supplies together to make dinner. He barely sat down before a fire was roaring. Sighing contently, he set about his task.

"Have you ever cooked off a bon-fire before?" Bora inquired intrigued.

"Every chance my father could get, we would go outside and cook like this," Ethan remembered fondly. "He was a good man. He loved me the best he could. What about you guys? Any good memories?"

"I grew up in an orphanage. My favorite thing was playing basket ball outside," Mic whispered as he stared at his hands. "I was real good at it too."

"I don't remember anything but the compound," Phoenix muttered scared.

"Me, either," Bora stated faintly.

"That's okay; your memories are within you. Remember how you said that gathering wood seemed familiar?" Leah reassured them. Watching them nod their heads, she continued. "You'll remember it just takes time."

"I love the night sky. What about Greenling?" Mage asked. "She was born there."

"We're going to make new memories, better memories," Watchtower reassured. "Now gather up your plates so that Ethan can give you some dinner." Watching them circle around Ethan, she turned to look at Leah. "You're not healing."

"I know," Leah answered taking her eyes off the kids to look at the short blonde woman. "The mad doctor injected me with something before the breakout. Do you think any of the others made it?"

"There was nothing in the news about the compound. How long?" Watchtower stifled out.

"Forty eight hours at max," Leah answered softly. She watched as Watchtower's face crumbled, before she got herself together. Noting the look in her eyes, Leah snorted. "Don't be foolish, your powers haven't worked in months."

"Mage has a plan," Watchtower started only to stop.

"Revert time? She'll kill herself trying and yeah, the boys are not that quite when they talk," Leah sighed heavily. Looking around at the woods, Leah could almost feel something was out there. Focusing her eyes, she brought the wolf forward. Sniffing and peering around her, she couldn't find anything. "My father once told me, that the Scared Lands hold more secrets then all the worlds' governments put together. My death and your safety will just be one more."

"Lee, can you tell us a story? Maybe three?" Greenling pleaded as she ran towards them, her eyes were bright with hope.

"I can tell you a story about the wolves or I can tell you a story about the land," Leah offered as she allowed Greenling to pull her along.

"We know about the wolves, tell me about the land," Greenling demanded as she settled herself in Leah's lap.

"Alright everyone get comfortable. I'm going to tell you about this land, the Scared Land," Leah ordered forcing some joy into her voice. She watched as her rag-time group made themselves comfortable around the bonfire. Seeing the curiosity displayed on their faces, Leah wrapped her arms around Greenling and settled herself in.

"Many moons ago, animals roamed these lands. Man was still in its infancy, but growing rapidly in numbers. The animals became concerned; the alpha's of each pack arranged a meeting upon these lands. Choosing carefully, the animals invited several important and strong leaders of man," Leah spoke softly.

"To eat them?" Mic questioned interrupting Leah's story. Seeing the looks from the others, Mic shrugged. "What? Why would the animals invite man into their territory?"

"That's a very good question," Leah responded before she continued with the story. "The animals had an advantage. The Bald Eagle's far-sight showed them a vision of the future, a future where man ruled. It was upon these lands that the animals arrange for their spirits to live on within man. And man, foolish creatures that they were agreed."

"Why foolish," Ethan inquired.

"It was a way for the animals to continue to rule. As each pack died their sprits sought out those that agreed. The animal spirits merged with man and when those bodies died, the spirits would merge with their descendants. As the spirits wait to merge, they linger here within these Scared Lands," Leah explained as she gestured to the woods surrounding them. Pausing for a moment, Leah stared into the fire. "It is said that the fog holds the unmerged animal spirits along with other spirits. Late at night, when all is silent if you listen, you can hear them. The Jaguar, the Bear, the Eagle, the Lion, the Hawke, the Cwn Anwwn, and the Wolf observe all those in their territory."

"What's a Cwn Anwwn?" Bora inquired.

"A Hell Hound," Leah answered. Seeing that the explanation didn't seem to appease her crowd, she added. "A very large dog, only this dog can turn their fur into flames."

"A Phoenix dog!" Greenling announced with wide eyes.

"Yes," Leah agreed softly. Sharp pain sliced into as she took a breath. "It's time to go to sleep now. Ethan and I'll take first watch." The grumbles and groans, she watched as they settled in for the night. With a soft groan, Leah moved her tired body into a more comfortable position.

"Lee, do you believe any of those stories your father use to tell you?" Ethan asked after he was certain that everyone else was sleeping. His gaze lingered on the forest around them.

"Every story has a bit of truth to it. I think that the legend of animals holding a meeting with man is just a rationale way of explaining why some of them could become something not human at all," Leah answered as she breathed out her pain.

"You are the best human I know," Ethan countered as he turned his gaze upon her.

"I'm not human. I'm a monster, born and breed killer," Leah honestly replied back. "I only pray that when I die my soul goes to the white man's version of heaven. As much as I love Seth, if I never saw any of them for the rest of eternity, I just might find some peace."

"Lee?" Ethan sharply questioned. "I think you just need some sleep."

"I have pray for death, Ethan and the reaper has heard my prayer. Soon I will have my finial release from this nightmare that was foisted upon me. Take care of the others. Beware of my kind. Remember they are monsters," Leah answered in her normal hollow voice. Turning her eyes to the young man, a ghost of a smile graced her face. "Do not try to elongate my life, death is a blessing."

"I will miss you old friend, when you leave," Ethan chocked out.

"Hey, I'm not gone yet," Leah answered as she closed her eyes.

He watched as the strongest woman he knew feel alseep to the crackling of the fire and the sounds of the deep forest. '_She'll be mad that I let her sleep, but at this point I don't care._' Shifting slightly, Ethan peered out into the dark foggy night using his abilities. "Come out, I know you're there." He nearly wet his pants when a near naked man loomed over him. "Guess there's more truth than fiction to those stories, huh?"

* * *

><p>TBC ~<p> 


	4. Clearing the path IV

**~ IV ~**

* * *

><p>.<p>

'_Great_.' Sucking in a sharp breath, Leah forced her body to move. Her enhanced senses were telling her that what she was perceived were too different things. Stomping her foot down on a log, she easily caught it with her hand.

"Be useful and take this back to camp," Leah ordered as she handed off the firewood. The mist was thicker today than yesterday. Moving away from whatever was impersonating Ethan, Leah kept moving.

"It was supposed to be a blessing."

"Curse is more accurate," Leah spoke plainly as she continued with her task.

"You will heal."

"Nope, not this time," Leah corrected. Sighing she looked that the thing that spoke to her. "Taking the form of a child is beneath you. Don't bother change in a wise old man either; we both know you're not that smart."

"The pack is falling apart."

"Good, maybe Seth could be more than a slave," Leah laughed coldly. Shaking her head at the thought that one day no one would blindly follow orders. '_Doubt that Seth will gladly and blindly follow Jake to the ends of the earth_.'

"Your brothers and sisters morn you."

"I have only one brother, who I barely like much less love. I die happy knowing that I will not see him again or any of those who belong to his tribe. Hell, if I never see any of those people again, in this lifetime, in the afterlife or even in the next lifetime, I just might find some peace," Leah rebuffed. Twisting around, she started her hike back to camp.

"You are needed amongst your people."

"Not my people, not my family and most importantly not my problem," Leah dismissed. The shifting of the mist unsettled Leah, the forest for the first time in her lifetime took an ominous feel. "They need me. I sure as hell don't need them."

"You need them as much as they need you."

"Keep telling yourself that, maybe one day you'll believe it enough for the both of us," Leah snidely stated. She watched as the child appeared confused. "Uh, fine! What do they need me for? To remind them that they're human, they have a choice in life?"

"Yes."

"They don't," Leah snapped angrily. Seeing the same bullish look on her face as on Mic's face when he thought she was wrong. "What choice do they have in who they love? The instant love of imprinting takes that way. An Alpha commend forces the wolf to obey, where is the choice?"

"It is the way of the pack."

"I am not an animal," Leah snarled getting into the face of the being. "I am a human being! If the pack dies, then that's that best news I could have ever have received. No one else gets to have their lives destroyed for your amusement! This was no blessing, it's a curse. I'm just grateful that I'm dying! Have you ever bothered asked any of us what we wanted? Ever?"

"It is not your place to question…"

"I'm done," Leah stated as she walked away.

"You are Quileute!"

"Don't remind me," Leah sneered as she moved further away without looking back.

"Child!"

Sharply inhaling Leah clutched her side as she slowed down but didn't stop. She groaned softly as her strength started to fade. A breeze gently caressed Leah's face as tree branches moved out of her way. The branches swept her feet enfolding her in the branched and foliage.

"Daughter of the river clear," the mist greeted her with harmonize voices. Slowly the mist started to take different shapes forming an entire nation of various natives.

"It was not our intention to inflect wounds so grievous that one of our own would prefer death before life," a single woman stated.

"Your own foray into the pale face world showed that times have changed. Our cousins are no longer able to protect their lands from not only the cold ones but this new change in mankind. Those young ones waiting for return need you and so do your people," an old man observed.

"I have no people. If you wanted change so badly, every imprint would have been someone with no Quileute blood," Leah bluntly stated causing several forms to flinch. "Those young one will just have get use to disappointment, because I'm dying!"

"You think, we took too much and gave too little in your mind," an old woman stated as she separated from the group. "Do you remember that day, in the bathroom? Your stomach hurt so badly that you thought something was seriously wrong."

"Sure," Leah stated refusing to say yes to any question the group posed.

"You were dying, you had cervix uteri. The wolf within you healed you," she stopped several feet away. "The wolf spared your life."

"Then I should have died. It would have been more merciful then what happened," Leah countered.

"Your mother would have been destroyed…"

"So you destroyed me instead?" Leah snapped completely feed up. "You know what? I don't care, not anymore. You're day late and a dollar short, spare me your excuses. Put me down before I have Phoenix burn these woods to the ground."

"You were meant for more. You needed to grow stronger," a boy stated.

"So you say," Leah dismissed.

"If you died that day, it would have broken your brother. He would have been alone with no one to look out for him," the old man reasoned. "Jacob would have never stepped up; Embry would never have found his passion for doctoring while Quil..."

"You know what I've found?" Leah rudely interrupted.

"No child, what?" the old woman inquired wearily.

"You choose weak, you get weak," Leah stated coolly. "Name me one imprint that isn't weak. Why don't you try making them stronger? Leave me alone."

"They are being made stronger now," the old man commented.

"Phoenix! Burn," Leah bellowed before the trees gently lowered her to the ground. "As I said spare me your excuses. You made your choices, I'm making mine."

"Even if it destroys your brother?" the boys demanded. "What of the tribe?"

"That's your problem not mine," Leah answered as she walked away from them.

"The interloper was left in charge too long. The damage caused is too great to rectify at this point. Not without outside help," the old man stated as he stared off into the distance. "What say the young ones?"

"They are willing to help, but with conditions. Each pack member must take a journey in time with a task to be completed," a vibrant male voice replied as he joined the group. "For a group so young, they are remarkable. They are steadfast in their shared belief that due to Leah's strength, they are alive today."

"Then we are agreed. The son of the river clear and the nephew of the one who walks have cleaned out our ceremonial place. The warnings have fallen upon no ears," the boy commented.

"We move at twilight, when we are most powerful," the male stated as they faded into the mist.

* * *

><p><strong>~I~<strong>

* * *

><p>.<p>

"What do you think?" Mic inquired softly down the line using Mages magic to silently communicate.

"The possibilities of this going wrong are endless but it's our only hope for a better life," Mic replied hesitantly. "We won't know each other or we will but we won't know Leah."

"We will know each other. The essence crystals will be given to our younger selves. We need two large ones outside of the time flux to regulate what changes will be made and how to repair them," Watchtower added.

"It leads us to the question of how far back do we start this?" Bora wondered.

"To make any significant change we must go back at least three to five hundred years for the tribe," Mage stated. "We can plant Greenlings trees, which will bear the tribe fruit. Also going back that far will gain the boys knowledge of their people and ways."

"It also helps that there is between twenty to twenty five different wolfs at this point. Since you have stipulated that each one is taking a time journey we need to figure out when, who, the task and how long," Leah added. "Besides can those trees ever grow without Greenling?"

"Boys will take a bottle of my tears so my friends will grow," Greenling answered.

"How will we get our crystals to ourselves?" Ethan inquired.

"We will pack them up into two different groups, Watchtower will get one and I'll get the other," Leah answered. "The only question I have, is do we really want to do this? Stop! Take me out of this. Do you really want to do this?"

* * *

><p><strong>~II~<strong>

* * *

><p>.<p>

"Son of the river clear and nephew of the one who walks," a disembodied voice called out to them as the boys stilled in their movements. "It is time to bring the pack here."

"No," Seth answered angrily.

"You are much like your sister," the voice replied as it took shape from the mist. "Unlike your sister, you will live to see the rising dawn."

"Where is Leah?" Embry snarled upset.

"Around," the male answered vaguely. "Do you wish to save her?"

"Why so she can come back here? To be ordered around and devalued?" Seth growled only to huff out his anger.

"She's dying. The wolf will not be enough to save her. Not this time," the male stated plainly.

"This time?" Embry inquired softly.

"She had cervix uteri which is cancer of the cervix. To save her this time, it will take the entire pack," the male replied.

"At what cost?" Seth whispered as he blinked away his tears. "That is the first question the imprints will ask. What is the cost and will it affect them?"

"The cost is the same for not helping," the male stated coolly. "Come at twilight."

"Like we're going to be able to order the pack to show up at twilight?" Embry huffed under his breath.

"Try it and find out," the male answered with a nasty smirk on his face. "It is time for this pack's judgment from its Elders." Slowly the male form faded away into the mist.

"Why don't I like the sound of that?" Embry stated.

"Because you're smart," Seth stated as he paused. "Wait, the greeting… son of the river clear, that's me. Nephew of the one who walks is you. He called you … nephew. You are related to Sam, but not as a brother."

"That means that my mom is Sam's aunt," Embry whispered. "It wasn't Sam's father that cheated but his father."

"Come on, we're due back at camp. It will be interesting to see if we can order the pack around," Seth sneered as he turned back towards camp.

"I wonder what this judgment entails," Embry commented as he fell into step with Seth.

"You and me both," Seth replied.

**TBC**


End file.
